Japanese carmaker, Toyota has been testing its automated self-driving car in real highway traffic in Tokyo.

Called the "highway teammate" it can safely enter the motorway and change lanes without any human intervention.

STORY-LINE

Toyota's self-driving car on a test drive on the busy Tokyo highway shows off its sophisticated ability - merging onto the carriageway and changing lanes.

The Japanese carmaker has been testing its prototype called "Highway Teammate" for several years but this is the first time the car has entered a motorway from a sliproad and exited again without any human involvement.

The car travels for about eight kilometres (five miles) on the highway. The driver is sitting ready to intervene if necessary, but after pushing the button to activate self-driving mode his hands remain away from the wheel.

The prototype car is a modified Lexus GS and features equipment such as cameras, multiple sensors and highly accurate road map data which enables the car to evaluate traffic conditions, make decisions and take the necessary action by itself.

The car can maintain or change lanes or maintain distances with the car in front, even under congested traffic - thanks to its intelligent system of sensors.

"This car can handle almost every action a driver has to do on a highway without human intervention. We would like to aim for the commercialisation of this technology by the time Tokyo hosts the Olympics in 2020."

Toyota is not the only company which has been working on self-driving technologies. Other companies such as Honda and Google have also test-driven their own autonomous cars on the roads recently.

Yoshida stresses Toyota's new vehicle embodies the safety technology that is expected to play a key role in its future products.

"It is expected to contribute to improved safety of the road by reducing the number of casualties, to creating a comfortable driving environment by reducing the traffic and to providing freedom of mobility to all people including seniors and the disabled," he says.

The hands-free highway drive is getting closer to reality, however Yoshida also admits that still many things remained unresolved.

At this point, the car can be autonomous only in certain places such as a highway in Tokyo and under certain conditions where relatively few unpredictable things happen.

"Today's prototype showed that it could manage almost all the necessary manoeuvres on the highway. But it is also the fact that it could not function under certain difficult circumstances. We have to prepare for any sort of situation. So that is what we have to improve over the next five years," he says.

It also depends heavily on the accuracy of the road map data collected through cloud computers.

In that sense, the improvement of the accuracy of such information, which Toyota depends on from an outside source and can not fully control, is also essential for the realisation of the technology.

LEAD IN

Japanese carmaker, Toyota has been testing its automated self-driving car in real highway traffic in Tokyo.

Called the "highway teammate" it can safely enter the motorway and change lanes without any human intervention.

STORY-LINE

Toyota's self-driving car on a test drive on the busy Tokyo highway shows off its sophisticated ability - merging onto the carriageway and changing lanes.

The Japanese carmaker has been testing its prototype called "Highway Teammate" for several years but this is the first time the car has entered a motorway from a sliproad and exited again without any human involvement.

The car travels for about eight kilometres (five miles) on the highway. The driver is sitting ready to intervene if necessary, but after pushing the button to activate self-driving mode his hands remain away from the wheel.

The prototype car is a modified Lexus GS and features equipment such as cameras, multiple sensors and highly accurate road map data which enables the car to evaluate traffic conditions, make decisions and take the necessary action by itself.

The car can maintain or change lanes or maintain distances with the car in front, even under congested traffic - thanks to its intelligent system of sensors.

"This car can handle almost every action a driver has to do on a highway without human intervention. We would like to aim for the commercialisation of this technology by the time Tokyo hosts the Olympics in 2020."

Toyota is not the only company which has been working on self-driving technologies. Other companies such as Honda and Google have also test-driven their own autonomous cars on the roads recently.

Yoshida stresses Toyota's new vehicle embodies the safety technology that is expected to play a key role in its future products.

"It is expected to contribute to improved safety of the road by reducing the number of casualties, to creating a comfortable driving environment by reducing the traffic and to providing freedom of mobility to all people including seniors and the disabled," he says.

The hands-free highway drive is getting closer to reality, however Yoshida also admits that still many things remained unresolved.

At this point, the car can be autonomous only in certain places such as a highway in Tokyo and under certain conditions where relatively few unpredictable things happen.

"Today's prototype showed that it could manage almost all the necessary manoeuvres on the highway. But it is also the fact that it could not function under certain difficult circumstances. We have to prepare for any sort of situation. So that is what we have to improve over the next five years," he says.

It also depends heavily on the accuracy of the road map data collected through cloud computers.

In that sense, the improvement of the accuracy of such information, which Toyota depends on from an outside source and can not fully control, is also essential for the realisation of the technology.

"This car can handle almost every action a driver has to do on a highway without human intervention. We would like to aim for the commercialisation of this technology by the time Tokyo hosts the Olympics in 2020."

"It is expected to contribute to improved safety on the road by reducing the number of casualties, to create a comfortable driving environment by reducing the traffic and to provide freedom of mobility to all people including the elderly and the disabled."

TOYOTA HANDOUT - (no restriction)

Tokyo, Japan - Recent

19. Handout video footage showing demonstration of the prototype driving on the road

"Today's prototype showed that it could manage almost all the necessary manoeuvres on the highway. But it is also the fact that it still could not function under certain difficult circumstances. We have to prepare for any sort of situation. So that is what we have to improve over the next five years."

21. Mid of the car monitor showing a CG image of the passing car on the right

The new robot from Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. can't do much but chatter in a high-pitched voice.

The 39,800-yen (390 US dollar), 10-centimetre (4-inch) -tall, doll-like Kirobo Mini - whose name comes from "kibo," or "hope," and "robot" - supposedly has the intelligence of a 5-year-old.

Fuminori Kataoka, general manager in charge of the project, says its value is emotional, going from home to car to the outdoors as a faithful companion, although the owner must do all the walking and driving.

Preorders start in Japan later this year. Shipments are set for next year. No overseas sales are planned so far.

It comes equipped with a camera, microphone and Bluetooth, and connects to a smartphone.

It turns its head toward a voice, although sometimes that function fails.

"The reason why we insisted on this - it is about the existence of something you can talk to. A stuffed animal might not answer back, but people do talk to it as if it responds, like my daughter once did. But if it talked back - if it said 'did something happen?' – wouldn't that be better?"

Several high-profile incidents this week involving runaway Toyotas have renewed fears over the safety of the cars. Analysts say it could take a long time for the brand image of the world''s largest automaker to recover.

CAPTION: Several high-profile incidents this week involving runaway Toyotas have renewed fears over the safety of the cars. Analysts say it could take a long time for the brand image of the world''s largest automaker to recover. (March 11)

SUPERS:

00:00-0:05 El Cajon, CA

0:05-0:07 James Sikes/Prius Owner

0:07-0:16 Harrison, NY

0:08-0:16 Voice of : Anthony Marraccini, Harrison, ny Police

0:16-0:19 Toyota

0:25-0:43 Rebecca Linland/IHS Global Insight

0:48-:0:52 PUALANI OBER//TOYOTA OWNER//LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

0:52-0:57 COREY WILLIAMS//TOYOTA OWNER//VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA

1:03-1:15 Tammy Darvish/vp darcars automotive group

[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE]

[Notes:EL CAJON, CALIFORNIA/SOURCE: XETV]

AN UNSTOPPABLE TOYOTA PRIUS ON A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY.

(sot: JAMES sikes/prius owner)

I won''t drive that car again. Period.

[Notes:HARRISON, NY: SOURCE: AP]

ANOTHER PRIUS LURCHES OUT OF A NEW YORK DRIVEWAY AND INTO A STONE WALL.

(sot: Anthony Marraccini, Harrison, ny Police)

the car accelerated and continued to accelerate even after she applied the

brakes."

THE COMPANY HAS RECALLED EIGHT-AND-A-HALF MILLION VEHICLES WORLDWIDE. BUT FIXING THE CARS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO FIX THE DAMAGE THAT''S BEEN DONE TO TOYOTA''S ONCE-STELLAR REPUTATION FOR QUALITY.

(sot: Rebecca Linland/IHS Global Insight)

I think it''s going to be a while before Toyota can really establish their brand image. And we''re looking at long-term consequences for this as well. We have a lot of new buyers coming into the market, a lot of pent up demand and people are looking at other brands, perhaps for the first time in their life, and they''re making other brand choices.

(:38) I''m trusting they''re giving us the correct information to keep us safe.

(sot: COREY WILLIAMS//TOYOTA OWNER//VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA)

(00:55) My big concern was the brakes. I''m very confident though, it''s a good car.

[Notes:SILVER SPRING, MD/ SOURCE: AP]

DEALERS SAY THEY''RE FIXING CARS ON THE RECALL LIST AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN--AND ARE TRYING TO SOUND UPBEAT.

(sot: Tammy Darvish/vp darcars automotive group)

(11:44:33) I think what toyota''s doing with immediately sending a tech team and nhtsa getting involved and they''re inspecting these vehicles now as we speak, I think we''ll see that these vehicles are safe and toyota''s just making them safer.

THE LONG-TERM TEST FOR TOYOTA WILL BE WHETHER THE COMPANY CAN CONVINCE BUYERS IT''S FOUND AND FIXED THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE CAUSED SOME OF ITS CARS TO GO OUT OF CONTROL.

Japanese carmaker, Toyota has been testing its automated self-driving car in real highway traffic in Tokyo.

Called the "highway teammate" it can safely enter the motorway and change lanes without any human intervention.

STORY-LINE

Toyota's self-driving car on a test drive on the busy Tokyo highway shows off its sophisticated ability - merging onto the carriageway and changing lanes.

The Japanese carmaker has been testing its prototype called "Highway Teammate" for several years but this is the first time the car has entered a motorway from a sliproad and exited again without any human involvement.

The car travels for about eight kilometres (five miles) on the highway. The driver is sitting ready to intervene if necessary, but after pushing the button to activate self-driving mode his hands remain away from the wheel.

The prototype car is a modified Lexus GS and features equipment such as cameras, multiple sensors and highly accurate road map data which enables the car to evaluate traffic conditions, make decisions and take the necessary action by itself.

The car can maintain or change lanes or maintain distances with the car in front, even under congested traffic - thanks to its intelligent system of sensors.

"This car can handle almost every action a driver has to do on a highway without human intervention. We would like to aim for the commercialisation of this technology by the time Tokyo hosts the Olympics in 2020."

Toyota is not the only company which has been working on self-driving technologies. Other companies such as Honda and Google have also test-driven their own autonomous cars on the roads recently.

Yoshida stresses Toyota's new vehicle embodies the safety technology that is expected to play a key role in its future products.

"It is expected to contribute to improved safety of the road by reducing the number of casualties, to creating a comfortable driving environment by reducing the traffic and to providing freedom of mobility to all people including seniors and the disabled," he says.

The hands-free highway drive is getting closer to reality, however Yoshida also admits that still many things remained unresolved.

At this point, the car can be autonomous only in certain places such as a highway in Tokyo and under certain conditions where relatively few unpredictable things happen.

"Today's prototype showed that it could manage almost all the necessary manoeuvres on the highway. But it is also the fact that it could not function under certain difficult circumstances. We have to prepare for any sort of situation. So that is what we have to improve over the next five years," he says.

It also depends heavily on the accuracy of the road map data collected through cloud computers.

In that sense, the improvement of the accuracy of such information, which Toyota depends on from an outside source and can not fully control, is also essential for the realisation of the technology.

LEAD IN

Japanese carmaker, Toyota has been testing its automated self-driving car in real highway traffic in Tokyo.

Called the "highway teammate" it can safely enter the motorway and change lanes without any human intervention.

STORY-LINE

Toyota's self-driving car on a test drive on the busy Tokyo highway shows off its sophisticated ability - merging onto the carriageway and changing lanes.

The Japanese carmaker has been testing its prototype called "Highway Teammate" for several years but this is the first time the car has entered a motorway from a sliproad and exited again without any human involvement.

The car travels for about eight kilometres (five miles) on the highway. The driver is sitting ready to intervene if necessary, but after pushing the button to activate self-driving mode his hands remain away from the wheel.

The prototype car is a modified Lexus GS and features equipment such as cameras, multiple sensors and highly accurate road map data which enables the car to evaluate traffic conditions, make decisions and take the necessary action by itself.

The car can maintain or change lanes or maintain distances with the car in front, even under congested traffic - thanks to its intelligent system of sensors.

"This car can handle almost every action a driver has to do on a highway without human intervention. We would like to aim for the commercialisation of this technology by the time Tokyo hosts the Olympics in 2020."

Toyota is not the only company which has been working on self-driving technologies. Other companies such as Honda and Google have also test-driven their own autonomous cars on the roads recently.

Yoshida stresses Toyota's new vehicle embodies the safety technology that is expected to play a key role in its future products.

"It is expected to contribute to improved safety of the road by reducing the number of casualties, to creating a comfortable driving environment by reducing the traffic and to providing freedom of mobility to all people including seniors and the disabled," he says.

The hands-free highway drive is getting closer to reality, however Yoshida also admits that still many things remained unresolved.

At this point, the car can be autonomous only in certain places such as a highway in Tokyo and under certain conditions where relatively few unpredictable things happen.

"Today's prototype showed that it could manage almost all the necessary manoeuvres on the highway. But it is also the fact that it could not function under certain difficult circumstances. We have to prepare for any sort of situation. So that is what we have to improve over the next five years," he says.

It also depends heavily on the accuracy of the road map data collected through cloud computers.

In that sense, the improvement of the accuracy of such information, which Toyota depends on from an outside source and can not fully control, is also essential for the realisation of the technology.

"This car can handle almost every action a driver has to do on a highway without human intervention. We would like to aim for the commercialisation of this technology by the time Tokyo hosts the Olympics in 2020."

"It is expected to contribute to improved safety on the road by reducing the number of casualties, to create a comfortable driving environment by reducing the traffic and to provide freedom of mobility to all people including the elderly and the disabled."

TOYOTA HANDOUT - (no restriction)

Tokyo, Japan - Recent

19. Handout video footage showing demonstration of the prototype driving on the road

"Today's prototype showed that it could manage almost all the necessary manoeuvres on the highway. But it is also the fact that it still could not function under certain difficult circumstances. We have to prepare for any sort of situation. So that is what we have to improve over the next five years."

21. Mid of the car monitor showing a CG image of the passing car on the right

TOYOTA HANDOUT RESTRICTIONS: ALL MATERIALS ARE FOR PERSONAL OR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. THE USE OF THESE MATERIALS FOR ADVERTISING, MARKETING OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSE IS PROHIBITED

LENGTH: 2.42

SHOTLIST:

AP Television

Yokohama, Japan - July 24, 2015

1. Toyota's human support robot (HSR) moving at an exhibition of health care technology in Yokohama

2. Close up of a tablet device controlling HSR

3. Close up of a hand of HSR

4. Close up of Toyota's logo

5. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Kouichi Ikeda, Toyota engineer:

"Cars bring together various technologies, such as the chassis, steering and engine. Robots also contain various technologies in one package, such as sensor recognition, mobility, control, arm manipulation. And so that's what they have in common,"

6. Visitors watching a demonstration

7. Mid of HSR

8. Close up of HSR's face

9. Mid of HSR's arm and a controller

10. HSR grasping the controller

11. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Kouichi Ikeda, Toyota engineer:

"Although it can only do one simple task of picking up, it's already making disabled people quite happy. We're just getting stated, but eventually we want it to enter people's homes."

Toyota Handout - All materials are for personal or editorial use only. The use of these materials for advertising, marketing or any other commercial purpose is prohibited

"People tend to hesitate to ask for help from human helpers and service dogs because they have emotions, but people don't need to respect a robot's feelings, so they can ask robots to do things whenever they want and robots can react to it quickly. That is a big advantage. Because of the reasons above, HSR will be useful in the future."

14. Wide of HSR

15. Close up of a hand of HSR

LEADIN:

Carmaker Toyota has unveiled its latest robot, designed specifically to pick things up.

The company's human support robot or HSR was on display at the exhibition of health care technology in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo.

STORYLINE:

This is Toyota's new robot that glides around like an R2-D2. It's devoted to a single task - picking things up.

HSR, short for "human support robot," comes with a single mechanical arm that can not only grasp things of various shapes and sizes, but also pick up thinner items with a tiny suction cup.

It doesn't have other tricks on its repertoire, except it has a computer panel on its head for surfing the Internet. A person can also access it from another computer and use it like a camera-phone.

Toyota engineer, Kouichi Ikeda is showing how HSR can be controlled relatively easily by tapping on a tablet device, to fetch a TV remote-controller.

The 135 centimetre (four-foot-four) tall robot has several cameras, including two on its head that look like its eyes, and sensors on its body. It scoots quietly around in all directions.

Unlike the robotic arms at auto-assembly plants, HSR's grip and bumps are designed to be soft they can't hurt anyone. But it can pick up items that weigh up to 1.2 kilograms (2.6 pounds).

There was no attempt to make its design cute, like the Pepper childlike robot that recently went on sale in Japan from Japanese Internet company Softbank Corp.

Toyota has long been working on robots, including a human-shaped one with fingers dexterous enough to play the trumpet. Another plays the violin.

All of them have a long way to go before they become as popular as the company's cars like the Camry or the Prius. But Toyota sees robotics as an important part of its work in innovation.

"Cars bring together various technologies, such as the chassis, steering and engine. Robots also contain various technologies in one package, such as sensor recognition, mobility, control, arm manipulation. And so that's what they have in common," says Ikeda.

Ikeda is serious about using the robot to help around regular homes - first people with disabilities, and then for the elderly in general.

Picking up is especially challenging for people with spinal disorders and other ailments that hamper the ability to bend down and grab, he says.

"Although it can only do one simple task of picking up, it's already making disabled people quite happy. We're just getting stated, but eventually we want it to enter people's homes."

Nearly 40 percent of Japan's population will be 65 or older by 2060, and with the rest of the world following that track, Toyota is banking on the demand for robot helpers to grow.

A robot like HSR is ideal to replace service dogs, which go through special training to help people with various disabilities.

Manager and engineer at the Yokohama Rehabilitation Centre, Tadashi Hatakenaka says: "People tend to hesitate to ask for help from human helpers and service dogs because they have emotions, but people don't need to respect a robot's feelings, so they can ask robots to do things whenever they want and robots can react to it quickly. That is a big advantage. Because of the reasons above, HSR will be useful in the future."

Toyota came up with the basic concept model for HSR in 2012.

The revamped model was announced this month and is ready to enter universities, research facilities and businesses from next year.

They'll work in partnership to develop more applications, so the robot can enter homes as quickly as possible.

One drawback is cost. Mass production is needed for the price to come down. Toyota declined to give the current price.

====

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com.

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.

Car maker Toyota's announced it's teaming up with giant online retailer Amazon, restaurant chain Pizza Hut and the taxi services Uber and DiDi to create a new market place with no dividing line separating our lives from online commerce.

The company says it's a game changer turning it from a car manufacturer, to an all-encompassing mobility experience.

STORYLINE:

This is the new e-Palette, which Toyota hopes will transform the way we live and work in a future where fewer people are actually driving cars.

It's a series of modular vehicles which can be anything from a workplace, to a retail outlet to a shared ride.

According to Toyota, the e-Palette's open interior design layout means it can be outfitted with purpose-built interiors in accordance with the user's needs, whether it be for parcel delivery, ride sharing, or on-the-road e-commerce.

Toyota unveiled it's vision of a new age of automation at the Consumer Electronics Show.

The corporation's President Akio Toyoda explains the concept:

"We want the car to be a seamless extension of your phone and computers, a kind of personal assistant on wheels able to anticipate your needs through predictive artificial intelligence. A new mobility service platform is also the engine behind our car sharing test market in Hawaii and San Francisco. In the future much of mobility on demand, or mobility as a service will be powered by autonomy, which in turn is supported by vehicle electrification. Today I am pleased to announce that some of the initial members of our e-Palette alliance includes Amazon, DiDi, Pizza Hut and Uber, Mazda will also be a partner for e-Palette supporting our electrification plans. We want to thank each of these companies for joining us on a new mobility journey."

The company is also teaming up with the car company Mazda who will be a partner in the e-Palette alliance.

Toyoda is keen to dispel any lingering doubts about whether the furture of cars is electric: "Today Toyota offers 37 electrified vehicle models in over 90 countries. By the early 2020s, we'll have more than ten battery electric vehicles available worldwide."

Toyoda revealed he'd learned to drive at the mature age of 51 so that he could understand car design better.

Joking with his audience, he quipped electrification was the only topic of interest around the world apart from the wedding of Prince Harry this year.

He says: "Now I realise that battery electric, or all electric vehicles are what everybody's talking about these days, that and Prince Harry's engagement (audience laughs), but what's not often mentioned today is that less than one per cent of all vehicles sold in the US are battery electric, so there's "

This last comment from a company which has spearheaded the use of electric vehicles for everyday use, is an important prod to the US market.

At the end of the presentation, it was time for a selfie:"Now before I go, I don't often get to hang out with a group such as yourselves. So I'm wondering if it will be okay taking a selfie with you, is that okay? "

The audience at CES clearly approves.

Toyota plans to conduct feasibility testing of the e-Palette Concept in various regions, including the US in the early 2020s.

It also hopes to be the mobility solution of choice at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

CES, Las Vegas, US - 8 January 2017

1. Various of the new Toyota e-Palette

2. Wide zoom out of the live Toyota show at CES showing screen animations of how the e-Palette will be used

"We want the car to be a seamless extension of your phone and computers, a kind of personal assistant on wheels able to anticipate your needs through predictive artificial intelligence. Our new mobility service platform is also the engine behind our car sharing test market in Hawaii and San Francisco. In the future much of mobility on demand, or mobility as a service will be powered by autonomy, which in turn is supported by vehicle electrification. Today, I am pleased to announce that some of the initial members of our e-Palette alliance includes Amazon, DiDi, Pizza Hut and Uber, Mazda will also be a partner for e-Palette supporting our electrification plans. We want to thank each of these companies for joining us on a new mobility journey."

4. Wide of screens at live Toyota show demonstrating how e-Palette will act as a mobile shop and showroom

"Now I realise that battery electric, or all electric vehicles are what everybody's talking about these days, that and Prince Harry's engagement (audience laughs), but what's not often mentioned is that today is that less than one per cent of all vehicles sold in the US are battery electric."

8. Wide of screens at Toyota's live showing how easily adaptable the e-Palette is

9. UPSOUND: (English) Akio Toyoda, President, Toyota Motor Corporation ++Zoom out of Toyoda as he begins to take selfies of himself and the audience++

"Now before I go, I don't often get to hang out with a group such as yourselves. So I'm wondering if it will be okay taking a selfie with you (laughter) is that okay? (applause)."

5. Various close ups of Kirobo Mini's face - audible but what it says are just chopped bits of conversation

6. Wide of several Kirobo Mini on display

7. Various of many Kirobo Mini robots together on a table

8. Setup shot of Hisashi Kusuda, Toyota Motor Corp

9. SOUNDBITE (Japanese): Hisashi Kusuda, Toyota Motor Corp.

"The initial idea came from thinking of cars in an endearing form. Among so many industrial products, cars are one of the few products which we think of with endearment. Why is this? Cars react to our manoeuvring. Essentially, this is communication between people and cars. With our cars, we share our time, see the same scenery, share the same space and create memories. Through this, in a sense, cars are our partners. Cars can be partners for us to communicate with."

10. Right pan of lots of Kirobo Mini on display on a table

11. Mid shot of a Kirobo Mini sitting in an opposite chair and wearing a seatbelt

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION HANDOUT VIDEO – AP CLIENTS ONLY

12. Various of TOTOTA handout video showing Kirobo Mini interacting with children

LEADIN:

A new miniature robot from Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp has gone on sale at Toyota's showrooms across the country (Wednesday 22nd November).

Kirobo Mini has limited skills, but can chatter in a high-pitched voice.

The idea of companion robots is already widely accepted in Japan.

STORYLINE:

This Miniature android is the latest gadget created by the Japanese car maker Toyota.

UPSOUND (Japanese)

"My name is Kirobo"

Kirobo Mini is a simplified and smaller version of the Kirobo robot, a talking humanoid designed by Tomotaka Takahashi, which went into space in 2013.

It can't do any heavy lifting, but it's designed to be a mascot-like companion, raising both its arms in a greeting when it detects an approaching smiling face.

The 39,800-yen ($390) doll-like Kirobo Mini — whose name comes from "kibo" (hope) and "robot" — supposedly has the intelligence of a 5-year-old.

UPSOUND (Japanese)

"Oh wow, you've seen snow before!"

Hisashi Kusuda, Toyota Motor Corp., says the initial idea came from recognising that cars are one of the products in our lives that we treat with endearment because we share so much with them. So much so that they can be thought of as partners.

"The initial idea came from thinking of cars in an endearing form. Among so many industrial products, cars are one of the few products which we think of with endearment. Why is this? Cars react to our manoeuvring. Essentially, this is communication between people and cars. With our cars, we share our time, see the same scenery, share the same space and create memories. Through this, in a sense, cars are our partners. Cars can be partners for us to communicate with."

Kirobo Mini comes equipped with a camera, microphone and Bluetooth, and connects to a smartphone, which needs to be installed with a special software application. It turns its head toward a voice, although sometimes that function fails as its voice recognition is far from perfect.

The robot is not equipped with face recognition technology, and so it cannot recognise different people.

The idea is one Kirobo Mini per person, according to Toyota. The idea of companion robots is already widely accepted in Japan.

No overseas sales are planned so far, but the gadget is now available at Toyota's showrooms across Japan.

====

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com.

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.

5. Various close ups of Kirobo Mini's face - audible but what it says are just chopped bits of conversation

6. Wide of several Kirobo Mini on display

7. Various of many Kirobo Mini robots together on a table

8. Setup shot of Hisashi Kusuda, Toyota Motor Corp

9. SOUNDBITE (Japanese): Hisashi Kusuda, Toyota Motor Corp.

"The initial idea came from thinking of cars in an endearing form. Among so many industrial products, cars are one of the few products which we think of with endearment. Why is this? Cars react to our manoeuvring. Essentially, this is communication between people and cars. With our cars, we share our time, see the same scenery, share the same space and create memories. Through this, in a sense, cars are our partners. Cars can be partners for us to communicate with."

10. Right pan of lots of Kirobo Mini on display on a table

11. Mid shot of a Kirobo Mini sitting in an opposite chair and wearing a seatbelt

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION HANDOUT VIDEO – AP CLIENTS ONLY

12. Various of TOTOTA handout video showing Kirobo Mini interacting with children

LEADIN:

A new miniature robot from Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp has gone on sale at Toyota's showrooms across the country (Wednesday 22nd November).

Kirobo Mini has limited skills, but can chatter in a high-pitched voice.

The idea of companion robots is already widely accepted in Japan.

STORYLINE:

This Miniature android is the latest gadget created by the Japanese car maker Toyota.

UPSOUND (Japanese)

"My name is Kirobo"

Kirobo Mini is a simplified and smaller version of the Kirobo robot, a talking humanoid designed by Tomotaka Takahashi, which went into space in 2013.

It can't do any heavy lifting, but it's designed to be a mascot-like companion, raising both its arms in a greeting when it detects an approaching smiling face.

The 39,800-yen ($390) doll-like Kirobo Mini — whose name comes from "kibo" (hope) and "robot" — supposedly has the intelligence of a 5-year-old.

UPSOUND (Japanese)

"Oh wow, you've seen snow before!"

Hisashi Kusuda, Toyota Motor Corp., says the initial idea came from recognising that cars are one of the products in our lives that we treat with endearment because we share so much with them. So much so that they can be thought of as partners.

"The initial idea came from thinking of cars in an endearing form. Among so many industrial products, cars are one of the few products which we think of with endearment. Why is this? Cars react to our manoeuvring. Essentially, this is communication between people and cars. With our cars, we share our time, see the same scenery, share the same space and create memories. Through this, in a sense, cars are our partners. Cars can be partners for us to communicate with."

Kirobo Mini comes equipped with a camera, microphone and Bluetooth, and connects to a smartphone, which needs to be installed with a special software application. It turns its head toward a voice, although sometimes that function fails as its voice recognition is far from perfect.

The robot is not equipped with face recognition technology, and so it cannot recognise different people.

The idea is one Kirobo Mini per person, according to Toyota. The idea of companion robots is already widely accepted in Japan.

No overseas sales are planned so far, but the gadget is now available at Toyota's showrooms across Japan.

====

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5. Various close ups of Kirobo Mini's face - audible but what it says are just chopped bits of conversation

6. Wide of several Kirobo Mini on display

7. Various of many Kirobo Mini robots together on a table

8. Setup shot of Hisashi Kusuda, Toyota Motor Corp

9. SOUNDBITE (Japanese): Hisashi Kusuda, Toyota Motor Corp.

"The initial idea came from thinking of cars in an endearing form. Among so many industrial products, cars are one of the few products which we think of with endearment. Why is this? Cars react to our manoeuvring. Essentially, this is communication between people and cars. With our cars, we share our time, see the same scenery, share the same space and create memories. Through this, in a sense, cars are our partners. Cars can be partners for us to communicate with."

10. Right pan of lots of Kirobo Mini on display on a table

11. Mid shot of a Kirobo Mini sitting in an opposite chair and wearing a seatbelt

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION HANDOUT VIDEO – AP CLIENTS ONLY

12. Various of TOTOTA handout video showing Kirobo Mini interacting with children

LEADIN:

A new miniature robot from Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp has gone on sale at Toyota's showrooms across the country (Wednesday 22nd November).

Kirobo Mini has limited skills, but can chatter in a high-pitched voice.

The idea of companion robots is already widely accepted in Japan.

STORYLINE:

This Miniature android is the latest gadget created by the Japanese car maker Toyota.

UPSOUND (Japanese)

"My name is Kirobo"

Kirobo Mini is a simplified and smaller version of the Kirobo robot, a talking humanoid designed by Tomotaka Takahashi, which went into space in 2013.

It can't do any heavy lifting, but it's designed to be a mascot-like companion, raising both its arms in a greeting when it detects an approaching smiling face.

The 39,800-yen ($390) doll-like Kirobo Mini — whose name comes from "kibo" (hope) and "robot" — supposedly has the intelligence of a 5-year-old.

UPSOUND (Japanese)

"Oh wow, you've seen snow before!"

Hisashi Kusuda, Toyota Motor Corp., says the initial idea came from recognising that cars are one of the products in our lives that we treat with endearment because we share so much with them. So much so that they can be thought of as partners.

"The initial idea came from thinking of cars in an endearing form. Among so many industrial products, cars are one of the few products which we think of with endearment. Why is this? Cars react to our manoeuvring. Essentially, this is communication between people and cars. With our cars, we share our time, see the same scenery, share the same space and create memories. Through this, in a sense, cars are our partners. Cars can be partners for us to communicate with."

Kirobo Mini comes equipped with a camera, microphone and Bluetooth, and connects to a smartphone, which needs to be installed with a special software application. It turns its head toward a voice, although sometimes that function fails as its voice recognition is far from perfect.

The robot is not equipped with face recognition technology, and so it cannot recognise different people.

The idea is one Kirobo Mini per person, according to Toyota. The idea of companion robots is already widely accepted in Japan.

No overseas sales are planned so far, but the gadget is now available at Toyota's showrooms across Japan.

====

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com.

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

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CAPTION: Toyota''s decision to recall nearly 437,000 Prius and other hybrid cars adds to an already long list of recalled vehicles. Here''s a breakdown of which models are effected. (Feb. 9)

[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE]

NB. THIS IS A VOICEOVER TRANSCRIPT, NOT A FULL SHOT LIST.

TOYOTA ADDED 437-THOUSAND CARS TO THE RECALL LIST MONDAY. THAT LIST NOW COVERS EIGHT-AND-A-HALF MILLION VEHICLES WORLD WIDE. SO WHAT''S INCLUDED?

JUST ADDED ARE THE 2010 PRIUS AND 2010 LEXUS 250 HYBRID. THE WORLD''S LARGEST AUTOMAKER SAYS IT NEEDS TO UPDATE SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS THE ANTI-LOCK BREAKING SYSTEM. DRIVERS HAVE COMPLAINED THAT the BREAKS WERE SLOW TO REACT IN COLD CONDITIONS OR ON BUMPY ROADS.

11 VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED TO EITHER FIX STICKY GAS PEDALS OR REPLACE FLOOR MATS THAT COULD TRAP THE GAS PEDAL.

THEY ARE THE 2005 THROUGH 2010 AVALON.

2007 TO 2010 CAMRY.

2009 TO 2010 COROLLA.

2008 TO 2010 HIGHLANDER.

2009 TO 2010 MATRIX.

2004 TO 2009 PRIUS.

2009 TO 2010 RAV4.

2008 TO 2010 SEQUOIA

.

2005 TO 2010 TACOMA.

2007 TO 2010 TUNDRA.

2009 TO 2010 VENZA.

TOYOTA SAYS SOME DEALERS ARE STAYING OPEN AROUND THE CLOCK TO FIX THE SAFETY ISSUES.

Toyota is returning to rally car racing with the debut of a Yaris WRC to compete in next year's World Rally Championship (WRC) series.

The car maker is also teaming up with Microsoft to open the Toyota Research Institute.

STORY-LINE:

Revving back on to the World Rally Championship (WRC) stage, this is the car Toyota is hoping will help race ahead of the competition.

The Yaris WRC will make its debut in the 2017 World Rally Championship as the Toyota Gazoo Racing team.

Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation, made the announcement at the Paris Motor Show.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to introduce Toyota's new WRC Yaris which will debut in next year's WRC series race. It's been 17 long years since we competed in WRC. So I guess you could say we are well rested," he says.

Toyota is collaborating with software giant Microsoft , which is supporting the racing project.

Information gathered from the racing car's performance will be used to enhance other vehicle projects.

The two companies have worked together previously collecting data through the Toyota Connected company.

They will now collaborate and form the Toyota Research Institute.

"We are indeed very happy to have Microsoft on our team in a quest to make ever better cars. With 100 million Toyotas on the road today, to me the true benefit of selling all those cars is that we can study and learn from them in order to one day totally eliminate automobile accidents and fatalities. That is one of our primary goals at the newly formed Toyota Research Institute. Its mission: to reach the next frontier in mobility. Or to put it another way: to boldly go where no car has gone before," says Toyoda.

Toyota also announced that it is working to develop driverless car technology and will be concentrating on two different modes of autonomy: chauffer mode and guardian mode.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to introduce Toyota's new WRC Yaris which will debut in next year's WRC series. It's been 17 long years since we competed in WRC. So I guess you could say we are well rested."

3. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage

"It's wonderful to be here in Europe, the centre of automotive racing with a heritage and brand I've long admired. A racing fan myself, nothing gives me greater pleasure than test driving one of the vehicles like this new Yaris built right here in France."

4. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage

"Microsoft has been an investor in our data analytics company Toyota Connected, making them more than just a software supplier. We are indeed very happy to have Microsoft on our team in a quest to make ever better cars. With 100 million Toyotas on the road today, to me the true benefit of selling all those cars is that we can study and learn from them in order to one day totally eliminate automobile accidents and fatalities. That is one of our primary goals of the newly formed Toyota Research Institute. Its mission: to reach the next frontier in mobility. Or to put it another way: to boldly go where no car has gone before."

5. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage

"Though not widely known, Toyota has been working on the development of autonomous cars for many years now. The team will be building on this foundation, developing two kinds of autonomy : chauffer mode and guardian mode.

6. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage with Yaris

"Toyota's vision of the future mobility includes two important pathways that we must travel simultaneously. One will eventually provide access to mobility for everyone, no matter what their physical limitations are, via the adoption of fully autonomous technologies, importantly including personal robotics. The other will provide a more immediate reward and as Dr. (Gill) Pratt will describe, is the goal of TRI (Toyota Research Institute) to accelerate machine learning."

3. Pull out from audience members taking photos to presentation on big screen on stage

4. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO, Toyota Research Institute:

"Number one: We want to enhance the safety of automobiles again with ultimate the goal, as Bob said, of creating a car that is incapable of causing a crash."

5. Audience members taking photos

6. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO, Toyota Research Institute:

"Number two: We want to increase access to cars to those who cannot otherwise drive this includes people with special needs and seniors. That's the area where we need full autonomy as opposed to driver assist, and stopping accidents from happening."

7. Presentation on car technology on big screen on stage

8. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO, Toyota Research Institute:

"A team at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is going to lead a project called 'The Car Can Explain' - a really neat title to get. So this is about teaching machines and AI (artificial technology) systems in particular to tell stories about themselves. Explanatory stories. Autonomous technology strives to be perfect, how do we actually get to that critical point where a car is incapable of causing a crash."

9. Presentation on materials science on big screen on stage

10. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO, Toyota Research Institute:

"Our interest at Toyota is finding new materials for a number of reasons. Materials that can increase the strength and lower the weight and the cost of cars. It includes materials that can improve the efficiency and lower the cost of fuel sales. Materials for all uses. What we aim to do at TRI in this field is to utilise computation and machine learning to accelerate scientific discovery in this area. To lower the cost and improve the performance of future mobility systems."

11. Toyota Research Institute logo on big screen

12. SOUNDBITE: Gill Pratt, CEO, Toyota Research Institute:

"And this is why Toyota and TRI are working to transform mobility from outdoors to include indoors. In fact, when we think about the love that people have for their cars, home robots may eventually become more even personally prized in the future than cars have been in the past."

13. End of presentation

LEADIN:

Toyota says its vision for the future includes artificial intelligence and robotics.

In automobiles the company aims to create the ultimate car that cannot crash.

But beyond that it is also moving towards producing software, data and robots.

"Toyota's vision of the future mobility includes two important pathways that we must travel simultaneously. One will eventually provide access to mobility for everyone, no matter what their physical limitations are, via the adoption of fully autonomous technologies, importantly including personal robotics. The other will provide a more immediate reward and as Dr. (Gill) Pratt will describe, is the goal of TRI (Toyota Research Institute) to accelerate machine learning."

As part of a USD $1 billion investment, the Toyota Research Institute will open for business this month. Its mandates are to create cars that are incapable of having an accident, create cars that can be driven by the elderly and disabled, research materials that will make cars lighter and more efficient and use artificial intelligence and robotics for both outdoor and indoor mobility technology.

"Number one: We want to enhance the safety of automobiles again with ultimate the goal, as Bob said, of creating a car that is incapable of causing a crash," says Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO of the Toyota Research Institute.

"Number two: We want to increase access to cars to those who cannot otherwise drive this includes people with special needs and seniors. That's the area where we need full autonomy as opposed to driver assist, and stopping accidents from happening," he adds.

Toyota has committed $50 million over the next five years to support collaborative research into artificial intelligence and robotics at Stanford University and MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The programme has funded just under thirty projects that include research into a future vehicle programmed to react to unexpected events such as debris falling off a truck travelling in front of it. The aim is to measure cars for known and unknown risks - creating the ultimate car that cannot crash.

A further project includes teaching machines to tell stories about themselves. The ultimate aim is for an AI car to be able to explain its actions when it does something unexpected in a life or death decision.

"A team at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is going to lead a project called 'The Car Can Explain' - a really neat title to get. So this is about teaching machines and AI (artificial technology) systems in particular to tell stories about themselves. Explanatory stories. Autonomous technology strives to be perfect, how do we actually get to that critical point where a car is incapable of causing a crash," explains Dr. Pratt.

Toyota is also investing in finding new materials to improve the performance of future automobiles.

"Our interest at Toyota is finding new materials for a number of reasons. Materials that can increase the strength and lower the weight and the cost of cars. It includes materials that can improve the efficiency and lower the cost of fuel sales. Materials for all uses. What we aim to do at TRI in this field is to utilise computation and machine learning to accelerate scientific discovery in this area. To lower the cost and improve the performance of future mobility systems," says Pratt.

Pratt explains that Toyota will no longer be solely a car manufacturer, that it is moving towards software and data including the creation of robots.

"And this is why Toyota and TRI are working to transform mobility from outdoors to include indoors. In fact, when we think about the love that people have for their cars, home robots may eventually become more even personally prized in the future than cars have been in the past," says Pratt.

CES runs until 9 January.

====

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Toyota will invest one (b) billion US dollars in a research company to develop artificial intelligence and robotics, underlining the Japanese automaker's determination to lead in futuristic cars that drive themselves and apply the technology to other areas of daily life.

Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, said in Tokyo on Friday that the company would start operating from January 2016, with 200 employees at a Silicon Valley facility near Stanford University in the United States.

A second facility will be established near Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, also in the US.

The investment, which will be spread over five years, comes on top of the 50 (m) million US dollars Toyota announced earlier for artificial intelligence research at Stanford and MIT.

High-profile robotics expert, Gill Pratt, will head the new organisation which will be called Toyota Research Institute Inc.

Pratt was formerly a programme manager at the US military's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency.

He joined Toyota as a technical adviser when it set up its artificial intelligence research effort at Stanford and MIT.

Pratt said the company's goals were to support older people in their homes with robotics, make cars free of accidents and use artificial intelligence to allow all people to drive, regardless of ability.

Toyota will invest one (b) billion US dollars in a research company to develop artificial intelligence and robotics, underlining the Japanese automaker's determination to lead in futuristic cars that drive themselves and apply the technology to other areas of daily life.

Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, said in Tokyo on Friday that the company would start operating from January 2016, with 200 employees at a Silicon Valley facility near Stanford University in the United States.

A second facility will be established near Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, also in the US.

The investment, which will be spread over five years, comes on top of the 50 (m) million US dollars Toyota announced earlier for artificial intelligence research at Stanford and MIT.

High-profile robotics expert, Gill Pratt, will head the new organisation which will be called Toyota Research Institute Inc.

Pratt was formerly a programme manager at the US military's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency.

He joined Toyota as a technical adviser when it set up its artificial intelligence research effort at Stanford and MIT.

Pratt said the company's goals were to support older people in their homes with robotics, make cars free of accidents and use artificial intelligence to allow all people to drive, regardless of ability.

"I believe artificial intelligence technology has the potential to change our future lives and society dramatically. I am working with this technology focused on cars at the moment, but in the future I believe it will become the core of various industries. I believe it has big potential to go further than cars and to create a new industry."

"Because the problem (referring to rapid aging of population) is more difficult here, I believe that companies in Japan understand this problem very significantly and very well. And so I think that to address this problem, as well as other problems in society - of course, Japan is a wonderful society where there is tremendous bonding between people, the idea we are all responsible for each other and for social good - I thought working with Toyota is actually the best choice."

2. SOUNDBITE: (English), Robert Tickner, head of communications Toyota Europe (partly overlaid with video of the Toyota i-Road presentation)

"This is kind of a kind of fun personal mobility concept, and really it is a concept at this stage. There is also a very serious proposition. It's a zero emissions product which can be used in urban areas to go short distances maybe on a commuting basis or as an integrated mobility solution basis. "

3. SOUNDBITE: (English), Robert Tickner, Head of communications Toyota Europe (partly overlaid with video of the Toyota i-Road presentation)

"The car is only 850 millimetres wide. Plus, it has this very innovative active leaning system which enables it to wind through narrow streets and very tights environments. So it's a very usable concept in an urban environment."

4. SOUNDBITE: (English), Robert Tickner, Head of communications Toyota Europe (partly overlaid with video of the Toyota i-Road presentation)

"This car takes about 3-hours to charge on a standard domestic plug and that gives about 45 kilometres (30 miles) of range."

5. Wide of Toyota i-Road driving slowly towards camera and stopping

6. SOUNDBITE: (English), Robert Tickner, head of communications, Toyota Europe (partly overlaid with video of the Toyota i-Road presentation)

"I think the first thing to notice is that we have a steering wheel so its very much like a regular car rather than the handlebar mechanism you might find in a scooter. Then, down here in the foot well we have two pedals, so a bit like an automatic transmission type of car. So, we have an accelerator and a break. On the left hand side here we have buttons. Again like an automatic transmission. So, we have drive, we have neutral and we have reverse."

7. Toyota i-Road driving past camera

LEADIN

It's not just the super cars which are pleasing the crowds at the Geneva Motor Show, Toyota is showing off what it believes is its smartest car to date.

The i-Road is a fully electric micro-car aimed at urban driving conditions.

STORYLINE:

This is the ultimate "mini me" car.

The i-Road doesn't take passengers and while the Smartcar was small, this Toyota's a micro-car.

It's already one of the most talked about concepts at the Geneva Motor Show, drawing crowds to these hourly presentations.

It doesn't really look like a car.

Rather, it is more of a three-wheeled motorbike with a roof.

But the three-wheeled micro-car has a new leaning system, which allows it to take sharp corners, an electric engine, and all the things you would expect in a modern car such as a stereo and air-condition.

The top speed will be set depending on the country.

In Europe it will most likely be set at 45 kilometres (30 miles) per hour, meaning it can be driven on a small motorbike license rather than a full car license.

The three-wheel car runs on an electric motor which means a full 3 hour charge can take you thirty miles, that's easily a small shopping trip across the city, but it's not so suitable for a trip along the scenic route around the countryside.

But according to Robert Tickner, Head of communications Toyota Europe, the design makes it ideal as a city car.

The car will now be tested on the roads of the French city of Grenoble over the next year.

If the trial is successful Toyota hopes that the car will be available to customers in the next four year's time.

"Electric vehicles have some obstacles such as the initial cost, not very convenient charging spots available and the long time to charge the car in order to for them to be realistic at the moment. But, with this (Toyota's plug-in hybrid) technology, it will become easier to have eco vehicle. The users themselves can contribute to protecting the environment by charging their cars by themselves. Users themselves take part in using clean energy. We think this will become a trigger to change the current way we power cars "

7. Pan from ground to car driving through

8. Prius driving through

9. Pan shot from traffic of the conventional cars to gas station

10. Close up of metre

11. Mid shot of fuelling

12. Back shot of sign saying Plug In Hybrid to Prius driving forward

LEAD IN :

Toyota Motor Corp have unveiled a new plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Plug-in hybrids, including Toyota's, generally have batteries that power an electric motor, with an internal combustion engine for use when the batteries run low.

The batteries can be recharged by plugging them into a standard wall outlet.

The plug-ins run longer on electricity, especially for shorter distances, than the more common hybrids on the roads such as Toyota's Prius.

STORYLINE:

The Toyota Plug-in HV is a hybrid car that you can power up at home.

The latest eco-car unveiled by Toyota runs on the same nickel metal hydride battery as the Toyota Prius and has a cruising range of 8 miles (13 kilometres) on electricity, which is further than similar cars on the market like the Prius.

Toyota is the first manufacturer to receive government approval to conduct tests for a plug-in hybrid on Japanese public roads.

Yoshikazu Tanaka, Chief Engineer at Toyota says this car may change the way people fuel their vehicles.

So far mass production of plug-ins is so far being held back by costs and battery technology that limit the vehicles' range.

Manufacturers are racing to bring the technology to market as consumers seek alternatives to traditional engines and high petrol prices.

Although most automakers are working on hybrids, Toyota has the advantage of 10 years of experience in selling the technology, and 10 years of feedback from drivers on which to base improvements, rather than relying on information from labs.

Toyota has placed a large emphasis on hybrid technology:

It offers several hybrid models besides the Prius, including the hybrid Camry and hybrid Lexus models.

It has set a target of selling a million hybrids a year sometime after 2010.

The more common hybrids such as the Prius switch between an electric motor and petrol engine to deliver better mileage.

They don't need to be plugged in to recharge because they recharge the motor as they run, converting energy from the wheels and braking.

Toyota said in June 2007 that its cumulative sales of hybrids passed 1 million vehicles since it began selling the Prius a decade ago.

Details of its plug-in hybrid tests for the U.S. and Europe are still undecided.

General Motors is developing the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, and says it hopes its plug-ins can reach showrooms

by 2010.

Earlier this month, Ford announced a partnership with Southern California Edison to test rechargeable hybrid vehicles and hasten mass production of plug-in hybrids.

Ford has been testing plug-in hybrids based on the Escape sport-utility vehicle, for one, but has not said when it plans to start mass producing them.

==============

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com

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"The acceleration of a shift from a truck-based US market to more of a sedan or crossover utility vehicle, and even the hybrid market, is a major contributing factor in the accelerating decline of sales for the big three in the US and the rise of Toyota in the US, but Toyota is also growing globally."

"There's no reason for Toyota to stop growing. They're doing the right things throughout the world. It's not that everything goes perfectly or smoothly every time, but the general trend is solid, the higher sales, and there's no reason for them to have to stop at 15 percent. In Japan they have over 40 percent of their home market."

"The good news for them is, because of China, they're growing over all. So at least, even if you're no longer number one, sales over all are going in the right direction. They still have to turn around the North American operations."

FILE: Florida - recent

10. Various exterior shots of Toyota salesroom

STORYLINE

Toyota Motors became the world's top auto seller in the first three months of the year, passing rival General Motors (GM) for the first time, the Japanese automaker said on Tuesday.

Through a shrewd combination of investing in environment-friendly vehicles, offering sharp new models and wooing drivers with brand power, Toyota has toppled General Motors from the top global sales spot for the first time ever, sales figures show.

Whether it becomes the world's number one automaker depends on annual worldwide vehicle production, rather than sales, and that won't be known until production numbers are tallied for the whole year.

"There's no reason for Toyota to stop growing. They're doing the right things throughout the world. It's not that everything goes perfectly or smoothly every time, but the general trend is solid, the higher sales, and there's no reason for them to have to stop," said Efraim Levy, an analyst from Standard and Poors, an auto industry rating agency.

Analysts say Toyota is advancing precisely in those areas that GM has fallen behind, making it likely that Toyota will snatch from GM the title it has held for 76 years.

"The acceleration of a shift from a truck-based US market to more of a sedan or crossover utility vehicle, and even the hybrid market, is a major contributing factor in the accelerating decline of sales for the big three in the US and the rise of Toyota in the US," Levy said.

Toyota sold 2.35 million vehicles worldwide in the January-March period, surpassing the 2.26 million vehicles GM sold in the quarter, according to preliminary figures.

In 2006, Toyota's global output rose 10 percent to 9.018 million vehicles, while GM and its affiliates produced 9.18 million vehicles worldwide, a gap of about 162-thousand.

In the first quarter, Toyota made 2.37 million vehicles worldwide, while GM has only given a planned production number of 2.34 million vehicles.

Toyota's fuel-efficient cars, such as the Corolla, Yaris and the gas-electric hybrid Prius, are big hits because of surging petrol prices.

General Motors, meanwhile, has been forced to scale back production in some regions to tackle a turnaround.

In public, Toyota is running apologetic TV ads and vowing to win back customers'' trust. Behind the scenes, the besieged carmaker is trying to learn all it can about congressional investigations, maybe even steer them if it can. (Feb. 9)

CAPTION: In public, Toyota is running apologetic TV ads and vowing to win back customers'' trust. Behind the scenes, the besieged carmaker is trying to learn all it can about congressional investigations, maybe even steer them if it can. (Feb. 9)

"The way I''m experiencing it is when I go over potholes and I have to hit the break pretty hard, it sort of gives a bit for a split second, and you feel this jump of acceleration and then the brakes kick in right away."

The automaker is recalling 437 thousand of the new Prius cars and other hybrids to fix the brakes.

The company''s president of American sales apologized on the company''s website.

BUG: Toyota.com

(Jim Lentz, Toyota President)

"I want to sincerely apologize to Toyota owners. I know that our recalls have caused many of you concern and for that I am truly sorry."

Toyota says recalled Prius owners will be notified by mail in the next few days of when and where they can bring their cars in to be

fixed.

(Ted Shaffrey, The Associated Press)

"Until very recently, Toyota had a fantastic reputation. The magazine Consumer Reports for the last six years has rated

the 2010 Prius one of their Top Picks among all new cars. It was rated on road tests, reliability and safety."

(Miami)

Many Toyota Dealers, like this one in Miami, say all the recalls are having a devastating effect on sales.

(Frank Marsala, Kendall Toyota)

"The biggest factor is the loss of sales, you know we have a fixed overhead here we have a lot of people on the payroll we have

advertising and process so, to cut your sales in half for 30 days is painful, but in the long run it will be a good thing for Toyota and Toyota dealers."

Trying to get ahead of the bad publicity, Toyota has been running TV commercials apologizing for their automobile''s problems.

NATS: "in recent days our company has not been living up to the standards you expect from us."

The commercial promises consumers it has stopped production of new cars until all problems are fixed.

CAPTION: Toyota Motor Corp. dismissed the story of a man who claimed his Prius sped out of control on the California freeway, saying Monday that its own tests found the car''s gas pedal and backup safety system were working just fine. (March 15)

[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE]

NB. THIS IS A VOICEOVER TRANSCRIPT, NOT A FULL SHOT LIST.

VO

NATS--BRAKES GRINDING TO A HALT

LOCATOR: SAN DIEGO

TRACK

BY PUTTING ON "ALL THE STOPS" TOYOTA TODAY, OPENED A PUBLIC RELATIONS BATTLE IN SAN DIEGO--

NATS--CAR STOPPING

THE AUTOMAKER DEMONSTRATED FOR REPORTERS THAT THE PRIUS STOPS WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES HARD...EVEN WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED.

THE SHOW AND THE EFFORT --AIMED AT CASTING DOUBT ON THE STORY OF JAMES SIKES.

SOT

SUPER: MIKE MICHAELS//VP. COMMUNICATIONS, TOYOTA

"while is the analysis is still ongoing, toyota believes there are significant inconsistencies between the events of march 8th and the findings of this investigation."

VO

TRACK

ON MARCH 8TH HE SAYS HIS 2008 PRIUS STARTED ACCELERATING ON THE HIGWAY AND WAS OUT OF CONTROL. A 9-1-1- CALL LATER AND AID BY THE POLICE HELPED STOP HIM.

STAND UP

SUPER: JOHN MONE///THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

"after the incident, sikes took his prius to this toyota dealership in el cajon, california...where federal investigators took a look as well as toyota engineers, however both say the could not replicate the problem that sikes desribed. "

SOT

SUPER: Bob Waltz//V.P. PRODUCT, QUALITY, SERVICE SUPPORT Toyota

"the tests of the accelerator pedal showed now binding in the pedal at all--number 1. And number 2--even if the pedal were stuck for whatever reason...applying the brakes would have stopped the vehicle....because it would shut down the motor."

vo

nats--it''s stuck

TRACK

BUT WHAT SENIOR TOYOTA OFFICIALS ASSAILED TODAY WAS PRECISELY WHAT SIKES CLAIMED IN HIS 9-1-1...SAYING HIS GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK AND THAT HE EVEN TRIED TO RELEASE WITH HIS HANDS...WHILE CAREENING DOWN THE INTERSTATE 8 AT MORE THAN 90 MILES PER HOUR.

SIKES LAWYER DECLINED TO COMMENT ON TOYOTA''S ANNOUNCEMENT.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COULD NOT REACH SIKES FOR REACTION TODAY...BUT HE HAS SAID HE STANDS BY HIS STORY.

TOYOTA STOPPED SHORT THAT SIKES STAGED A HOAX..BUT SAID IT HAS A STRONG CASE THAT REBUTS HIS CLAIMS. THE AUTO GIANT HAS ENDURED MONTHS OF BAD PUBLICITY--TOYOTA HAS RECALLED MILLIONS OF CARS BECAUSE FLOOR MATS CAN SNAG GAS PEDALS OR ACCELERATORS CAN STICK.

1. Wide of Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota, walking into news conference

2. Cutaway of media

3. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota:

"Rather than think about other companies, I feel that we must do our utmost to satisfy customers around the world. I believe that it is an important factor to put the utmost effort in trying to sell 8.89 (m) million cars. Different divisions within the company such as the development sector to marketing sector need to improve in quality. This would be our focus and something that cannot be missed. There is plenty left for us to do."

4. Various cutaways of news briefing

5. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota:

"It concerns the internal issues of our company, but as you may see, we need to seek to resolve issues in development and marketing. We see them as opportunities even in difficult times, and we will strive to continue to achieve growth."

6. Various of Lexus cars displayed at Toyota showroom

7. Various of Prius, Toyota's hybrid car

FILE:

Tokyo, Japan - 19 October 2005

8. Zoom into model at General Motors auto show

9. Various of General Motors cars display at the motor show

FILE:

Lansing, Michigan - 15 February 2001

10. Various of General Motors assembly plant

STORYLINE:

Toyota's profit in the January-March quarter climbed nine-percent as the automaker marked its seventh straight fiscal year of record sales amid robust demand for its Corolla, Camry and Lexus models.

Toyota Motor Corporation, which beat General Motors (GM) in worldwide vehicle production and sales in the first quarter for the first time ever, reported a quarterly group profit of 440.1 (b) billion yen (3.67 (b) billion US dollars) from 404 (b) billion yen the same period the previous year.

Toyota's sales are surging as soaring gas prices boost the appeal of its models, which are reputed worldwide for fuel-efficiency, including gas-and-electric hybrids like the Prius.

Analysts say Toyota is growing so quickly it's just a matter of time before it overtakes problem-laden General Motors Corp. of the US to become the world's number-one automaker, a title that technically hinges on annual worldwide vehicle production.